Beetles make up the order Coleoptera (sheath-winged in
Latin). They are perhaps the most successful order on earth with the
total number of known species exceeding 300,000. In North America
alone there are 111 families with roughly 30,000 species (White, 1983). Due to
their adaptability you can expect to find them almost anywhere on earth.
In fact, not only are they found in almost every habitat on earth but they also
exist in the fossil record as far back as 245 million years ago.
They range in size from 0.25 mm up to 200mm. In general, beetles can
be distinguishing from other insects by the following anatomical
characteristics: opaque armoured forewings (elytra) which adjoin in a straight
line down the center and cover the hind two thoracic segments and most of the
abdomen, chewing mouth parts, two compound eyes and antennae that attach to the
head between these eyes.